Expandable shopping bag



y 30, 1967 H. GELLER EXPANDABLE SHOPPING BAG Filed Aug. 21, 1964 INVENTOR. Helen Geller BY Q M Attorney United States Patent Ofilice 3,322,176 Patented May 30, 1967 3,322,176 EXPANDABLE SHOPPING BAG Helen Geller, 990 Gear-y St, San Francisco, Calif. 94109 Filed Aug. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 391,148 4 Claims. (Cl. 150-1.7)

My invention relates to shopping bags and the like and especially those of the open mesh type. Existing bags used for shopping or for carrying miscellaneous articles of varying sizes are generally large and cumbersome. They are quite inconvenient to carry when empty and are in general limited to the capacity which they provide. It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a shopping bag which could be compacted into a very small volume when empty.

It is another object of my invention to provide a shopping bag which would be flexible in the volume which it provides.

It is a more specific object of my invention to provide a shopping bag of the crocheted type, the elements of which are stretchable.

It is yet another object of my invention to provide a bag for carrying materials of the open mesh type which would be more versatile, convenient, and better appearing than any now in use.

These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the detailed description given in the specification, drawings, and claims which follow.

Referring now to the drawings in which like numbers indicate like parts on the respective figures, there are seen the following:

FIG. 1 shows my bag containing articles ready to carry.

FIG. 2 shows my bag empty and turned inside out ready to roll up.

FIG. 3 is my bag rolled up into a ball.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section of the crocheted net of my bag.

It is seen that my bag is composed of two principal sections, namely, the carrying portion for articles 1, and the carrying portion for the rolled up bag 2. The portion 1 is constructed by crocheting yarn in the form of square net and utilizing the chain stitch, as illustrated in FIG. 4. For this purpose I may use cotton, silk, rayon, or nylon, but any type of stretchable material is satisfactory. The squares 1 may be three-quarters of an inch on the side, more or less, and are formed by joining the chain stitches 7 in a manner known to those skilled in the crocheting art. The top rim 3 and carrying handles 2 are also crocheted into the net in any conventional manner.

The portion 4 of my bag which serves to contain it and permit easy carrying when not in use for transporting articles is crocheted also integral with the main net, but using a much tighter stitch. When articles are being transported as shown in FIG. 1, this portion lies fiat against the bottom interior of the bag.

When the bag is empty it is turned inside out as shown in FIG. 2, and the portion 4 with its drawstrings 6 and close knitted or crocheted stitches are seen suspended below the main portion 1 and the opening 8 is served by the drawstring 6.

The portion 4 may then be turned inside out and the portion 1 stulfed into it completely and the final ball figure shown in FIG. 3 is attained, The drawstrings 6 may then be used to carry the empty bag, which now consists of a small sphere of only about one-fifth the size of the empty bag when in the carrying position.

It may thus conveniently be carried on the wrist of the shopper or placed in a purse while on the way to the shopping.

I have found that when using the construction disclosed above, my bag when in the carrying position will stretch at least twice its normal size and thus provide a large capacity. Thus, for example, when using a bag comprising seventy, three-quarter inch squares for its net, I am able to obtain a bag well over one foot in diameter when full of articles and which can be rolled up into a sphere less than two inches in diameter when empty.

I am not limited, of course, to bags of the above dimensions but may employ any desired combination of mesh size, bag diameter and ball diameter.

I claim:

1. An expandable shopping bag comprising:

a large principal section of crocheted open net construction;

a small auxiliary section of tightly crocheted construction,

said auxiliary section being fastened to said principal section so that said principal section may be folded up and inserted into said auxiliary section;

means positioned for carrying said principal section;

means positioned for carrying said auxiliary section,

said last named means comprising a drawstring for closing said auxiliary section, having portions projecting at each side of said auxiliary section, providing handles.

2. A crocheted bag of generally spherical configuration comprising:

a first spherical portion of crocheted net having a relatively large mesh and a circular opening therein;

a second spherical portion of crocheted net having a relatively small mesh and a circular opening therein, said sections being crocheted together to form a contiguous circular joint therebetween diametrically opposite to each of said openings; means for closing said opening in said second portion, said means comprising a drawstring having portions projecting at each side of said second portion providing handles;

means for carrying said bag.

3. The bag of claim 1 in which said. bag is crocheted from a stretchable yarn employing a chain stitch pattern.

4. The bag of claim 2 in which said bag is crocheted from a stretchable yarn employing a chain stitch pattern.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN EXPANDABLE SHOPPING BAG COMPRISING: A LARGE PRINCIPAL SECTION OF CROCHETED OPEN NET CONSTRUCTION; A SMAMLL AUXILIARY SECTION OF TIGHTLY CROCHETED CONSTRUCTION, SAID AUXILIARY SECTION BEING FASTENED TO SAID PRINCIPAL SECTION SO THAT SAID PRINCIPAL SECTION MAY BE FOLDED UP AND INSERTED INTO SAID AUXILIARY SECTION; MEANS POSITIONED FOR CARRYING SAID PRINCIPAL SECTION; MEANS POSITIONED FOR CARRYING SAID AUXILIARY SECTION, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A DRAWSTRING FOR CLOSING SAID AUXILIARY SECTION, HAVING PORTIONS PROJECTING AT EACH SIDE OF SAID AUXILIARY SECTION, PROVIDING HANDLES. 